Mediterranean Diet Health Benefits Are Many

In these days of fad diets and marketing hype, there is one that stands out above the rest. The Mediterranean diet has been extensively studied by medical researchers and found to have many health benefits. With the Mediterranean diet there is no starvation level calorie reduction. There is no risk of increasing cholesterol levels. There is no special food that can only be purchased by subscription. The Mediterranean diet is comprised of healthy choices that we can all live with comfortably.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

As the name implies, the Mediterranean diet focuses on foods common in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This includes eating lots of vegetables, nuts, fruit, and fish. The Mediterranean diet also involves using olive oil when oil is used for cooking or salad dressings. Olive oil is a healthier alternative to other cooking oils. The Mediterranean diet is about choosing healthy foods and is low in red meat, dairy products, and alcohol. To lose weight with the Mediterranean diet, simply adjust your daily intake of calories.

Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet has been linked with numerous substantial health benefits. These health benefits range from relatively minor to probably the most important health benefit of all: a longer lifespan. Here are a few of the documented benefits of maintaining a Mediterranean diet for life.

· 83% reduction in the likelihood of developing diabetes among those who follow the Mediterranean diet most strictly (British Medical Journal. June, 2008)

· Lower incidence of Asthma and Allergies in children (Chatzi et al. September, 2007)

· Lower rate of death from any cause over a five year period of study (JAMA and Archive Journals, September 2007)

· Longer Life (British Medical Journal, April 2005)

· Chance of contracting Alzheimer's reduced by 68% (JAMA and Archives Journals, October 2006)

· Chance of developing COPD reduced by half (BMJ Specialty Journals, May 2007)

· Lower cholesterol and cardiovascular disease (Mehdani, M., Tufts University, February 2006)

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the many proven health benefits of adopting a diet high in vegetables, fruits, fish, and nuts, and low in red meat, dairy products, and alcohol such as the Mediterranean diet. There are hundreds if not thousands of scientific studies that reinforce these benefits.

Separate Diet Marketing from Diet Science

The funny thing is that this is not new information. Most of these benefits of following a Mediterranean diet have been published and in the news for years. The short attention span of today's public keeps shifting focus to the latest fad diets. Whether it's the Atkins Diet, or the Cookie Diet, or some other here today gone tomorrow Hollywood fad, we keep turning away from one of the few proven healthy diets. The Mediterranean diet is a healthy, safe long-term diet that can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of serious diseases, and live a longer, healthier life. Who in their right mind would trade that for a cookie?